Feed the Hungry Students

Fullerton College Horticulture is a traditional ornamental horticulture program with an emphasis on aesthetic plants in the landscape. When I started teaching at Fullerton two years ago I noticed three abandoned plots that were used to grow 'turf.' I asked my students if they were interested in learning how to grow food, make compost, and creating soil fertility without the use of conventional chemicals. The students responded with a resounding YES! Since then we've converted two of the three turf plots, which are about 14' x 24' each, and have successfully grown food. Along the way my students have learned how to compost, sheet mulch, and have been able to supplement their nutritional budget by being able to take nutrient dense vegetables away during the semester. My horticulture course has become a very popular course because of this change of focus. Students are hungry for the knowledge to improve their environments through creating landscaped spaces full of edibles. Students and staff benefit from the food created by the garden, with food insecure students benefit the most.

If we are selected for this grant, the funds will be used to purchase and grow perennial vegetables for the Spring semester of 2014. The funds will be spent on plant material and seeds that will be used as mother stock which will serve as foundation plants to propagate from. The types of perennial vegetables planted will be: